How to stop a dog pulling on the lead and start walking to heel
This wasn't just our biggest dogs article of 2022 — it was the most successful article of any kind newly published in the last 12 months. And quite right too: Ben Randall's superb advice has helped hundreds of thousands of owners around the world, and we're delighted that he's gone on to write many more pieces for us. (You'll notice more than a few of them in the list below.)
How to stop your dog jumping up on people
It’s easy to dismiss our dogs’ love of jumping up on us — and other people — as friendly boisterousness. But it's something you can't ignore.
The top 20 cutest dog breeds in the world, ranked according to science
'You might as well rank the beauty of flowers,' we wrote in this article, originally published in 2021 but still relevant today. And yet despite the inherent futility of such a list, it's hard not to be intrigued by the result.
How to leave a dog alone in the house without it getting stressed
Ben's dog training advice is a hugely popular part of Country Life, but even still the response to this piece just a few weeks ago has been astonishing.
Cocker Spaniels: The irresistible dogs with loyalty to melt the coldest of hearts
Our look at the irresistible cocker spaniel is perennially popular on the Country Life website. Emma Hughes's piece is full of facts and anecdotes to put a smile on your face.
How to stop your dog barking at the door
Few things are more grating for dog owners — or more disconcerting for dog owners' visitors — than a dog barking at the door every time someone knocks or rings. Ben Randall explained how to train your dog to keep calm when it happens — ideally, with a little help from your friends and neighbours.
How to choose the perfect dog to fit your lifestyle, family and home
Those who grew up with dogs probably already know which breed they want to own, and have done for years. But the rest of us might need a bit of help — and this piece gathered expert advice that you'll be so glad you knew before taking the plunge.
How to stop your puppy crying at night
Having a puppy really isn't that different to having a baby — not least in our reaction to them crying. The plaintive whimper of a puppy is enough to melt the hardest of hearts, and tear the softest hearts into tatters; here's how to hear it less.
The Queen’s Corgis: All about Her Majesty’s most loyal subjects
As we mourned the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, we took a look at her corgis, the dogs that were such a part of her life.
Have you been walking your dog wrong all these years?
If you let your dog roam free on a walk, you might be setting yourself up for problems in other areas of training. Katy Birchall spoke to top trainers to see how to let them have fun without running wild.
See Country Life's top 10s of 2022
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A Clarkson's Farm of one's own: Five properties with just enough farmland for you and your family, from under £1 millionMoving to the country is one thing; moving to the country and being able to grow and rear all your own food is another level entirely, and all these properties offer exactly that.
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What everyone is talking about this week: What is the right way to propose to someone?Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are the latest couple to employ 'hidden' photographers to capture their engagement — but at what cost? Will Hosie details how you should do it instead.
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Mastiffs: Gentle giants revered by Shakespeare, feared by thieves, adored by familiesThe mastiff is England’s gentle giant.
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‘People would rather buy 20 synthetic jumpers than a woollen one that would last them a lifetime’: The British wool trade todaySheep shearing was king in the middle ages, writes Lotte Brundle, but the rise of synthetic fibres put the industry in a woolly position. How is it faring now?
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Bedlington terriers: The rare dog breed that conquered the coal mines and made it to CruftsThe Bedlington terrier originated in the mining towns of Northumberland, and while it might look like a lamb, it’s got the heart of a lion.
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'A world within a world… a community with an identity, a smoothly turning cog in the wheel of royal life': A look behind the stable doors of the Royal MewsHome to carriages, coachmen and craftspeople, Buckingham Palace’s Royal Mews is a village in the heart of London. It celebrates its 200th anniversary this year.
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‘We couldn’t go around digging holes in existing graveyards for fear of exhuming a real body’: The man who brought The Thursday Murder Club to the big screenLotte Brundle caught up with James Merifield, the production designer behind the new Netflix film adaptation of the Richard Osman novel, to chat about the murder mystery.
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What everyone is talking about this week: The great porpoise panicWeek in, week out, Will Hosie rounds up the hottest topics on everyone's lips, in London and beyond.
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The otterhound — the story behind Britain's rarest breed of dogBred for centuries to hunt otters in icy rivers, these shaggy, web-footed hounds were once favoured by royalty. Today, fewer than 1,000 survive worldwide.
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One by one: The lone wolves of the animal kingdomMankind may be tribal and sociable by nature, yet the ‘bliss of solitude’ — a state previously reserved for hermits — is the key to achieving inner peace, says Laura Parker
